Binky Bear

Last month, we decided it was time to say good bye to the much adored "binky"!  You see, Maya has started to assume that becoming a big girl requires using a binky; she never used one as an infant, but has picked up on the talent after seeing her BIG sister take one daily!

So, we gathered all of Lydia's binkies, placed them in her dentist bag, and went to build a bear to say goodbye to her binkies once and for all!

I can tell you now...looking back...she had no idea exactly what building a binky bear would really entail.

She walked hand in hand with Daddy--preferring his presence over mine in this journey!

And she chose a purple bear, in spite of my desperate attempt for her to choose the cute pink bear...or the smurf.  But Lydia, named after the weaver of purple in the scriptures, stayed true to her purple desire!

Lydia watched the bear being stuffed...

And then stuffed each binky, one by one, into the bear.

Without hesitation, she even placed the last binky in her mouth into to bears fluffy tummy.

She rubbed it's heart against hers, and did all the little ceremonial tasks you do when you Build-A-Bear!

And then she watched as it was stitched up for a final goodbye...I admit...

I cried...

Daddy helped her wash the bear all clean, and dress it in it's finest linens!

Lydia named her bear, "Binky Bear"!

And we all left hand in hand...

Half way home, after the pretzel and smoothie were gone, she began wondering how she could find her binkies.  In silly attempt, she peeked at the back of the bear, and then it hit her...

the binkies were gone.

We stoped along the busy freeway to comfort our sweet Lydia who could not possibly understand why she couldn't have something she loved so much anymore...

She held her eyes, gasped little breaths of air when she could, and just hurt for a long ride home.

To this day, I still feel around for those sweet little binkies she loved day and night...

Miss Lydia changed over night...

It's good...

And it's hard, as change is with your children!

I am happy to say she did smile again at the end of the car ride, thanks to Daddy's loud and fun music!

We all laughed little...and danced a little...

Miss Lydia, you are one beautiful girl!  We love you so much!!!

5 Dentist Visits in ONE day!

We took all 4 kids to the dentist today...a few days ago...

I was supposed to mother the adventure alone, but my husband had compassion on me.

Actually, he took my care into his hands, walked in from his morning visit to a client in town, and was on the phone with a new dentist office...

for me!

Just so happens, that on the day that the children were scheduled for routine visits, a tooth of mine reached it's pain threshold, and I...once again...was in need of an emergent dental visit.

(Yes, this happened all within a week of getting a speeding ticket, the day I shattered my phone for a second time sending shards of glass into my hand every time I tried to pick it up, and the morning I attempted a run with the girls in 25 degree weather only to listen to Miss Maya, bundled in warmth, scream her lungs out for 25 minutes....never mind the injuries I've acquired only 6 weeks from the marathon I've trained so hard for.)

My joy...children with perfect teeth!!!

Maya screamed her little lungs silents and cried her eyes dry...but had her Daddy for comfort.

Her puffy eyes are still so beautiful!

Daddy encouraged her to get the lips toy...

And taught her how to use it!

The dentist was AWESOME...honest, straight forward, kind and funny!  Perfect for parents and children!

Lydia begged to lay on the chair to have her teeth cleaned, though she was completely unaware that this visit would trigger the dreaded "bye bye binky" day!

Lydia loves to play doctor at home....she has me lay down on the dining room table and climbs up to me.  She taps on my tummy and listens to my heart.

She was calm outwardly but freaking out on the inside...as I could see by her little eyes...when the chair went from laying to sitting in a matter of moments.  Her breathing intensified and her stiff little body was fighting a bend in her waist as she tensed with fear.  My hand, reaching in, was meant to calm her as I anticipated a screaming daughter!

I am shocked that Aiden has pearly whites...but grateful indeed!

And Connor looked so big in a pediatric chair with his arm dangling down.  His feet hung off the bottom of the chair, and the dentist informed us that he is a very fast developer.  Yep, our baby with teeth at 3 months already has teeth he shouldn't have until 10.  EEEKK!!!

ALl that started well...ended well.  Miss Maya hugged me so tight at the beginning of the day, and was smiling at days end as well.

The Magic Continues...

We've had out fair share of magic shows over the last little while.  Connor shows us tricks that we "have never seen before" and he mysteriously whispers the phrase, "prepare...(pause for effect)...to be...(another creepy pause)...amazed" with his head tilted down, and eyes piercing your soul!

His "handy" side kick, Aiden, is always nearby...and by nearby, I mean close BEHIND, and even kneeling on the ground.  I haven't quite figured out why he is almost hidden and behind...or, could it be that the amazing appearing and disappearing of items is simply a slight of hand?

Hmm...so perplexing!

Of course, their binky bound sister is learning their masterful tricks as well! 

Intermission was brought to us by "Sprout"...probably Papa Bear...or maybe even Thomas!  The magicians needed a mental break! 

Today...there was no magic...

Well, if you call entertaining the girls with buckets of water and seeing the water "magically" disappear from the buckets time and again magic, then you can say it still goes on when the boys are away.  

Maya walked to me today with her little yellow tea cup in hand and sweetly said, "Wa'er".

I couldn't resist, so I quickly swept the crumbs from the floor in preparation for its cleaning.  We moped about three times in the course of an hour time, changed clothes, encouraged Maya with the counting game to stay out of Lydia's chair as she gathered more tea set supplies, and told each other, "I'm being very careful" as we walked across wet floors on our tippy toes for more toys and drinks.

Today Lydia had me laughing as she stood at the counter top, casually leaning on her elbows as I sewed away.  She gently took Maya's hand away from the "off" button on the machine a number of times...often too late.  In between garbles of talk, half of which were totally unrelated to my sewing skills, she said, numerous times, "Thanks Bob!" in the sweetest slangy voice she has ever uttered.   

Bob?  Bob who?

All did not end well for Lydia.  She fell at scouts tonight, tore some skin off her big left toe and screamed the entire way home from scouts.  Her whole body was shaking and heaving with pupils dilated and fixed on her owie.  Aiden was genuinely concerned, and as I drove, exclaiming, "It's alright baby, when we get home, Mommy will take care of it," I glanced back and Aiden had the first aide kit out.  His hand fumbled through the contents for a bandaid.  As he retrieved one, and asked me to open it, I could see his concern worsen...in direct correlation to Lydia's panic. 

Unfortunately, he could not ease her pain, and he felt the sorrow of watching his sweet sister suffer.  Aiden's heart is made of gold with the words compassion written so clear and deep upon it.

I love this boy, my red headed little fire...who holds the fire of God in his tiny little frame.

Now, tell me...who would want to steal his food and his jacket???  Poor guy has been facing a thief this school year...and we are losing miserably.

 Maya recently freaked Daddy out with her bath time tricks; he seriously thought Lydia was going to drown our little gal.  Nope, this is all Maya! ;)

 And in case you didn't forget, "Tin Can Man" is sitting proudly on our fridge....

Connor's teacher is requesting the tabs...they are hard to part with!